


Not In The Contract

by Doumaverse



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Awkward Kissing, Changed The Rating Because of the 3rd Chapter, Charon Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Holding Hands, Light Angst, Light Sadism, Literal Sleeping Together, Misunderstandings, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Rejection, Slow Burn, Teasing, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-10 16:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doumaverse/pseuds/Doumaverse
Summary: Charon puts his foot down. Things get complicated.





	1. Chapter 1

She'd only given in because she was lonely, and the temptation of having a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist was simply too great to resist.

So she dared to ask her loyal companion, in a voice no smaller than a whisper. “Charon…would you hold me? Just until I fall asleep?”

He sounded back with a familiar grunt, derisively shaking his head from side to side. “Not in my contract, boss.”

The emphasis he’d placed on that last word - firmly reminding her where the two of them stood, as little more than employee and employer, nearly broke her heart.

She shivered, and it wasn’t for the chill in the air. It was Charon’s voice.

His voice had never sounded so cold.


	2. Remember Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're not the only one who doesn't want to be forgotten.

“Do you think you’ll still remember me? Even when I’m long gone?”

Charon said nothing, feeling the weight of her question on his shoulders. He was a Ghoul, and he’d be around long after his current employer was gone. So that’s what she was worried about. He even had an inkling as to why.

“‘Course I will, boss.” He replied, eyes focused on the fire flickering in front of them. “How could I forget the most annoying employer I’ve ever had?”

A sharp in-take of breath was all Charon heard before the sound of her laughter pierced the night air, making his shoulders relax somewhat. He could never truly be off-guard, not while she still held his contract. If this job had taught him anything over the years, it’s that danger was always present, lurking just around the corner.

“So…would you ever consider sleeping with me, then?” She’d asked in the hopes of sounding playful and much to her dismay, the tone had come off as sounding rather desperate, instead. Well. She supposed she was, really.

And trying to hide it wasn’t doing her much good.

Charon sighed, a welcome departure from how stoic and silent his company usually was. He waited one moment, then another. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, as if the universe itself were waiting on his answer. “Not if you were the last smoothskin on earth.”

Inside, Charon was smiling. That had to hurt. He glanced down, and sure enough, his dear employer looked like she’d just been dealt a finishing blow from a Deathclaw. It was a terrible habit, really. On some level, he knew he should stop. She just looked so good with her eyes downcast, her bottom lip jutting out, quivering, almost but not quite yet on the verge of crying.

Vaultie 101 to some, the big bad lone wanderer to others, but she was ‘boss’ to him and him alone, and Charon secretly delighted in all the ways he could make her come undone. He wanted to hold her chain just as tightly as she held his.

“Come on, boss. Let’s get cleared up.” She smiled weakly up at him, dusting her knees off as she stood up.

“Giving me orders now, are we?” Charon ignored her light-hearted teasing as he helped her put the fire out, feeling very, very glad that his favourite employer would never know about the way she made his heart beat faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might turn this into a mini series of one-shots focusing on different ghouls, dealing with the general theme of "Rejection".


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what possesses me to keep writing about Charon, I don't even like him that much. I'm just here for the dynamic.

The floor tasted like dirt, shame, and all the regrets of Megaton rolled into one nasty little package. Lone had no idea what Brahmin shit tasted like, but it was hard to imagine it tasting much worse than this. She scowled up at the Ghoul who’d put her in this position in the first place, her supposed bodyguard extraordinaire. He was simply staring at her like he’d seen a Deathclaw, or worse, his ex-boss. His stupidly large thigh was giving her friction, bittersweet, in all the places it shouldn’t. She hated that while smushed into the dirt, as vulnerable to the wastes as they were, the only thing she could focus on was how clear Charon’s eyes were up close, how she could almost see herself reflected inside them.

Charon wasn’t saying anything, so neither would she. He could speak first, for a change. It was all _his_ fault they were in this compromising position right now, anyway. Lone had never seen someone manage to trip over barren wasteland before, but somehow, Charon had managed it - and he’d taken her down with him. A survival instinct kicking in, perhaps? Or maybe it was just a sorry, last-ditch attempt to save some face. Either way, going by the stunned expression on his face, it didn’t look like he was going to be letting up anytime soon.

Lone sighed, letting the sound fade away into nothingness as the seconds continued to crawl by. She would almost welcome a surprise raider attack right now - at least it would help to clear some of the tension in the air. “You…I, I’m…doesn’t…no, you’re not him. Sorry. I’m…not makin’ any sense, am I?”

He seemed to be asking himself that question, more than he was looking for an answer. Lone barely managed to shuffle out of his grasp before Charon’s weight came collapsing down on top of her, hitting harder than a bad batch of Chems after a long, hard day. Lone didn’t know what else to say, so she simply wrapped her arms around him, instead. And after what felt like an eternity, Charon eventually did the same. Annoyingly, his arms were just as strong and his touch as comforting as everything she’d ever dreamed of. Just one of her many cheesy little fantasies, now hand-picked and painted into reality.

“You…” Charon paused, lump not quite but steadily forming in his throat. “You shoulda’ pushed me away by now, kid. There’s nothing good waitin’ for you after this.” Lone blinked, but refused to break eye-contact with the Ghoul still looming on top of her, coarse skin pressed against smooth. His large frame held steadfast above hers, but it seemed transient - like he was ready to up and bolt at any minute, if only she would give the word.

“Giving me orders again, are we? You’d think I were the one with -” Lone’s words came crashing to a halt as rough, sandpaper lips came crashing into hers. The back of her throat felt drier than when Butch had asked if she’d wanted to see what a _real_ tunnel snake looked like, so taken by surprise that she couldn’t even think to close her eyes. Charon pulled away, dejected.

“See? I told you. This isn’t what you wanted.” His voice was clear, confident, and all too final. “You talk a big game, kid. Nearly fooled me.” He quickly got up, not sparing a second glance in his employer’s direction. She stayed down, as if she couldn’t accept the outcome of what had just happened here.

So just this once, Charon made an exception. He bent down, offering her his hand. After a small but poignant moment of hesitation, she took it. “I suppose we’d better get the hell out of here before something else tries to kill us, huh?”

Lone was trying to sound tough. He knew it. She knew it. They both knew it.

Charon, for his part, said nothing. He simply allowed her to hold onto his hand until the sorry sight of Megaton came back into view.


End file.
